Communications recorder system

Abstract

A method for analysing performance of a media recording system in a telecommunications network comprising the steps of selecting an extension within a telecommunications network, the extension capable of exchanging communication media, designating a time period within which communication records for the extension should be analysed, receiving communications data for the network extension, the communications data comprising data associated with communications involving the extension with the time period, receiving media data for the network extension, the media data comprising data associated with recorded media content of communications involving the extension within the time period, comparing the communications data with the media data to determine the performance of the communications recording system.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for analyzing performance of a media recording system in a telecommunications network comprising multiple network extensions, the method comprising the steps of:
 selecting a network extension within the telecommunications network, the network extension capable of exchanging communication media; 
 receiving from a database communications data for the network extension, the communications data comprising data associated with communications involving the network extension that occurred within a designated time period; 
 receiving recorded media data for the network extension, the recorded media data comprising data associated with recorded media content of the communications involving the network extension within the designated time period; 
 receiving rules defining whether a communication for the network extension should be recorded; 
 applying the rules to the communications data for the network extension to create filtered communications data, the filtered communications data for the network extension associated with communications which should have been recorded; and 
 comparing the communications data with the media data to determine whether the communications were recorded in accordance with the received rules. 
 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1  wherein communications data includes at least one of the following:
 ANI; 
 DNIS; 
 start time of communication; 
 end time of communication; 
 duration of communication; 
 extension number of parties engaged in the communication; 
 calling extension; 
 receiving extension; 
 recorder ID; 
 call ID; and 
 location of participants in communication. 
 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 1  comprising the step of:
 analysing the communications data to identify a communications scenario including a plurality of communications data; 
 calculating an expected number of media recordings from the analysed communications data, 
 wherein the step of comparing the communications data with the media data compares the expected number of media recordings with media data. 
 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 1  wherein calls started within a predetermined time of the time interval are disregarded. 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 1  wherein communications data relating to communications having a duration below a predefined time period are discarded. 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 1  wherein the performance of the communications recording system is determined on whether the number of expected media recordings matches the number or media records. 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 1  wherein the extension is associated with a communications device. 
     
     
       8. A call management system comprising:
 a call processing system configured to connect calls within a communications network; 
 a call recording system configured to record call media associated with connected calls within the communications network; 
 a first rules database comprising criteria for selecting a first set of calls to be recorded, the first rules database associated with the call processing system and the first set of calls occurring within a designated time period; 
 a second rules database comprising criteria for selecting a second set of calls to be recorded, the second rules database associated with the call recording system and the second set of calls occurring within the designated time period; and 
 an analysis system configured to compare the criteria of the first and second rules databases and determine whether the first set of calls matches the second set of calls. 
 
     
     
       9. The call management system according to  claim 8  wherein the rules of the first and second rules database specify that calls should be recorded in dependence on at least one of:
 time of communication; 
 calling party extension; and 
 receiving party extension. 
 
     
     
       10. The call management system according to  claim 8  further comprising:
 communications routing system configured to receive a request to connect a communication across the communications network at a call processing system; 
 processor for determining whether the communication should be recorded in accordance with the rules database; and 
 transmitter for transmitting an instruction to a recording system to record the call in dependence on the determination. 
 
     
     
       11. The call management system according to  claim 8  further comprising;
 communications recording system, the communications recording system comprising:
 a receiver for receiving an instruction to record a communication; 
 processor for determining whether the communication is required to be recorded in dependence on recording rules; and 
 recorder for recording the communication in dependence on the communication being required to be recorded. 
 
 
     
     
       12. A system for analyzing performance of a media recording system in a telecommunications network, the system comprising:
 a processor for selecting an extension within a telecommunications network, the extension capable of exchanging communication media; 
 a receiver for receiving communications data for the network extension, the communications data comprising data associated with communications involving the extension that occurred within a designated time period; 
 a receiver for receiving media data for the network extension, the media data comprising data associated with recorded media content of the communications involving the extension within the designated time period; 
 a memory configured to store rules defining whether a communication should be recorded; 
 a data filter configured to apply rules to the communications data to create filtered communications data, the filtered communications data associated with communications which should have been recorded; and 
 a matching engine for comparing the communications data with the media data to determine whether the communications were recorded in accordance with the received rules. 
 
     
     
       13. The system according to  claim 12  wherein communications data includes at least one of the following:
 ANI; 
 DNIS; 
 start time of communication; 
 end time of communication; 
 duration of communication; 
 extension number of parties engaged in the communication; 
 calling extension; 
 receiving extension; 
 recorder ID; 
 call ID; and 
 location of participants in communication. 
 
     
     
       14. The system according to  claim 12  comprising:
 processor for analysing the communications data to identify a communications scenario including a plurality of communications data and calculating an expected number of media recordings from the analysed communications data, 
 wherein the step of comparing the communications data with the media data compares the expected number of media recordings with media data. 
 
     
     
       15. The system according to  claim 12  wherein calls connected within a predetermined time of the time interval are disregarded. 
     
     
       16. The system according to  claim 12  wherein communications data relating to communications having a duration below a predefined time period are discarded. 
     
     
       17. The system according to  claim 12  wherein the performance of the communications recording system is determined on whether the number of expected media recordings matches the number or media records. 
     
     
       18. The system according to  claim 12  comprising an alert means to trigger an alert in dependence on the performance of the media recording system.